Coleraine man banned from any ASDA store

A Co. Derry man accused of hijacking a taxi to carry out a supermarket theft is banned from entering any Asda store, a High Court judge ordered last week.

Daryl Quigley allegedly stole a television set and then threatened to shoot the cab driver forced to wait for him while he went back to take the remote control.

Granting bail to the 29-year-old, Madam Justice McBride also prohibited him from using the taxi firm involved. Quigley, of Laurel Avenue in Coleraine, faces charges of hijacking, theft and threats to kill. He was allegedly picked up at his home on December 17 last year and taken to an Asda branch in the town.

Kate McKay, prosecuting, said Quigley emerged from the store carrying an unboxed TV and got back into the taxi.

He then claimed to have a gun and threatened to shoot the driver if he didn’t return to the front of the supermarket and wait for him, it was alleged.

“The applicant got out of the taxi, went back into Asda and lifted the remote control for the television he had taken,” Mrs McKay claimed.

Quigley then instructed the driver to take him to an address in the James Street area of the town. But with the driver’s controller alerted to the situation, police were said to be waiting at that location. Officers recovered the stolen television, along with two other sets believed to have been taken from Asda previously. Two other suspects were arrested at the scene.

Quigley was released from custody earlier this year, but was detained again following a separate alleged incident involving a threat to kill earlier this month.

Madam Justice McBride decided he could be bailed again to an address outside Coleraine due to delay in the case and his wife’s current pregnant condition.

She said: “This gives you an opportunity hopefully to parent your child in future.”

However, imposing tight conditions, the judge also directed: “You are not to enter any Asda store.”